Wonder Woman #13 is written by Tom King and published by DC. Artwork is by Tony S. Daniel, colours by Leonardo Paciarotti and letters by Clayton Cowles. Main cover art (left) is by Daniel and Marcelo Maiolo.
Wonder Woman #13 is available from today, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon Comixology UK right here.
Synopsis
Gamorra found! Wonder Woman and Robin have finally located Amanda Waller’s super jail holding the powerless heroes they once fought alongside. Can the new dynamic duo break them out before they become trapped themselves? An undercover ally may hold the key to everything!
Review
The Amazonian and the Boy Wonder are back for the second half of their Absolute Power adventure today in the pages of Wonder Woman #13. Whilst the main event series strikes a bleak tone for the DCU, Tom King’s latest tie-in chapter continues to bring a fun sense of jeopardy and whimsy which is a welcome light amongst the darkness.
I commented last month on how King had written the pairing of Diana and Damian with a tone that stands out against the wider crossover event. Part of that comes from the unexpected pairing. After just two issues of seeing these two together I’m entirely sold on seeing further Wonder Woman/Robin adventures in the future. Pushing that tone even further this month is the addition of Steve Trevor to the mix. In the main story his added presence amps up the jeopardy for Diana but also gives the King chance to have even more fun surprisingly mostly through Damian.
The “Reunion” story kicks off with Diana and Steve back together. The two are clearly VERY happy to each other which is a point of contention for Damian. Rationally it does feel a little out of character for these two to be acting like horny teenagers. But Diana has lost her powers and the world has fallen to Amanda Waller so in the context of finding each other against this hopeless situation it seems fair that they would be a little swept up in the moment. Plus is allows King to write the snarky side to Damian that we all love to see.
The back-and-forth between Diana and Dick last month was key to the success of the story. With there now being a degree of familiarity between them this issue opens that up to become something different. There’s an unwritten level of trust which makes these two equals. The constant challenges of dealing with Captain Boomerang are replaced with tactical decisions on storming the prison on Gamorra. It’s more serious and King treats that urgency with the level of respect it deserves. The more upbeat nature of the story never overbears the serious nature of the mission.
In a normal situation Diana would easily be the one to take charge over a group where nobody else has powers. But in her current state there’s a need to rely on those around her which offers a new perspective to the Amazonian. It triggers some interesting conversations which tie in future storytelling in this very book. That angle also bleeds through to King’s backup story (with artwork by Khary Randolph) which continues to allude to the origin of Trinity which is set to be explored in Wonder Woman #15. It also allows King to explore a more vulnerable side to Diana. Whilst her strength remains in her resolve her physical abilities are compromised and that becomes an exciting point for the reader in seeing how it adjusts her approach to the situation.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record I also have to applaud Wonder Woman #13 for its impact on the wider event. This is a vital chapter in the story and a huge turning point in the war against Amanda Waller. Whilst it will be referenced in the main Absolute Power book this is really a must-read part of the story once again. With events feeling much more frequent there is so much written about the quality and validity of tie-in books. But here there’s absolutely no argument over how integral the story is which remains a huge bonus to what DC is trying to accomplish.
Verdict
On top of being a gargantuan chapter in the Absolute Power event, Wonder Woman #13 is another wonderful slice of Tom King’s Diana Prince. The issue highlights Diana’s vulnerability when faced with life without her powers whilst never compromising on tonal nuance established by King as her story weaves in to that of the wider DC event.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
